Mother gives son stun gun for protection

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INDIANAPOLIS, May 7 (UPI) -- An Indiana mother says she sent her son to school with a stun gun because he was being bullied by his schoolmates over of his sexual orientation.

Chelisa Grimes told CNN administrators at Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis did not do enough to protect her son, Darnell "Dynasty" Young, 17, who she said endured months of harassment. He is now facing expulsion for discharging the weapon at school.

"I do not promote violence -- not at all -- but what is a parent to do when she has done everything that she felt she was supposed to do ... at the school?" Grimes said Sunday. "I did feel like there was nothing else left for me to do, but protect my child.

"I think that the self-protection device is what's making the news, but the big picture is that my child is not the only one who does not feel safe at our school."

Young said six classmates surrounded him on April 16, calling him names and threatening to beat him up because he is gay.

The bullied teenager said he pulled the stun gun from his backpack, raised it in the air and set it off, sending the bullies fleeing.

"I got kicked out of school for me bringing the weapon to school, but I honestly don't think that that was fair," Young said. "I didn't use it on nobody. ... All I did was raise it up in the air and went back to my class."

School police officers arrested him soon after, The Indianapolis Star reported. The school is investigating the incident. None of Young's alleged attackers have been identified.

The school district held an expulsion hearing for Young last week, but no decision had been announced.